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Pacers hero Aaron Nesmith makes incredible playoff history
Tyrese Haliburton may have flashed the "choke" sign after the Pacers stunned the Knicks in Game 1 , but Aaron Nesmith was the catalyst of his team's historic comeback.
Nesmith shot 6-of-7 from deep in the final 8:53 of regulation, becoming the first player in NBA history to drain six threes in the fourth quarter of a playoff game (play-by-play era).
Only six other players had made at least six threes in the quarter of a playoff game — Antoine Walker (April 28, 2002), Damian Lillard (May 24, 2021), Devin Booker (June 3, 2021), Michael Porter Jr. (June 3, 2021), Bojan Bogdanovic (June 16, 2021) and Stephen Curry (June 2, 2022). However, all those players caught fire in the first half, unlike Nesmith, who started slowly before producing a fourth quarter for the ages. His eight threes for the game also set a Pacers franchise record.
Aaron Nesmith is the first player in NBA history to make six three-point field goals in the 4th quarter of a playoff game.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 22, 2025
Only six other players have made six threes in a quarter of a playoff game:
▪️ Antoine Walker, BOS at PHI, April 28, 2002 (2nd Q)
▪️ Damian Lillard, POR… pic.twitter.com/y70n6iXR4X
Furthermore, Nesmith scored all 20 of his fourth-quarter points in the final five minutes, becoming the first to do so in playoff history.
Aaron Nesmith is the FIRST player in the playbyplay era to score 20 points in a 5-minute span in the 2nd half of a playoff game.
— Automatic (@automaticnba) May 22, 2025
And he did it in the final 5 minutes of the 4th to ignite maybe the most improbable comeback win in playoff history. pic.twitter.com/M8q8HhUD4Z
Nesmith's showing drew comparisons to Pacers legend Reggie Miller, who scored eight points in 8.9 seconds against the Knicks in the 1995 playoffs. The 25-year-old still can't believe he produced a game that will likely be discussed for decades, much like Miller's performance 30 years ago.
"It's unreal," he said. "It's probably the best feeling in the world for me. Whenever that basket feels like an ocean, and anything you toss, you feel like it's going to go in. It's just so much fun [laughs]."
While it was "fun" for Nesmith and the Pacers, the Knicks fanbase will find it hard to recover from what transpired on Wednesday.
"It's unreal. It's probably the best feeling in the world for me."
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 22, 2025
Aaron Nesmith was in a flow state in Game 1 as he dropped 30 PTS and 8 3PTs pic.twitter.com/jV3ze97RnR
Nesmith has made 3.2 threes per game (on 5.9 attempts) through 11 playoff games. The sniper's 53.8 percent rate is the best in the league.
Aaron Nesmith this playoffs:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 22, 2025
35 3PM (3rd in NBA)
53.8 3P% (1st in NBA)
pic.twitter.com/xMUjHmx1ui
More must-reads:
- Watch: Tyrese Haliburton's clutch shot leads Pacers to Game 1 win over Knicks
- Aaron Nesmith is proof that situation is key to a player's development
- The 'Indiana Pacers players to score 40 points in a game' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
The 'Most made three-pointers by NBA season' quiz
Happy 24th birthday to Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards! The first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft has lived up to the billing so far in his young NBA career, taking the Timberwolves from a 23-win team in his rookie season to back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances. While Ant-Man hasn't been able to make to the NBA Finals yet, he has already earned himself a reputation as a giant slayer in the postseason, topping Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, and Steph Curry in his playoff career. Which brings us to today's quiz. Edwards came into the NBA as a freak athlete, but has since added a dangerous three-point shot to his game, leading the NBA with 320 made triples in 2024-25. With that being said, how many of the league leaders in three-pointers made for every season since then can you name in five minutes? Good luck! Did you like this quiz? Are there any quizzes you’d like to see us make in the future? Let us know your thoughts at quizzes@yardbarker.com, and make sure to subscribe to our Quiz of the Day Newsletter for daily quizzes sent right to your email!
Milwaukee Brewers: Nestor Cortes Gone, Standout Rookie 3B Has Emerged as Gem from Would-Be Lose-Lose Trade
Starting pitcher Nestor Cortes was the centerpiece of the Milwaukee Brewers‘ return haul from trading co-closer Devin Williams to the Yankees last December. Eight months later, Cortes is a member of the Padres, logging all of two starts in Milwaukee before injuries sapped his season. Over in New York, Williams lost his closer’s job, got it back, and has had one good month en route to a 5.04 ERA. Without the other part of Milwaukee’s incoming package, then minor-league third baseman Caleb Durbin, the trade would look at this juncture like a lose-lose scenario. Thanks to Durbin, it’s been anything but for the Brewers. Caleb Durbin is Milwaukee Brewers’ diamond in the rough Durbin didn’t make the spring training cut. Instead, the Brewers went with fellow rookie Oliver Dunn as the team’s starting third baseman. Durbin went down to Triple-A Nashville. Dunn didn’t last. After he struggled through the first three weeks of the season, he and Durbin switched places and the latter hasn’t squandered his shot. Following a slow start, he’s turned up the heat at the dish while playing outstanding defense. He’s had an OPS around .800 for over two months now and has his season slashline up to .263/.344/.372. His 2.2 WAR in 86 games played is tied for 10th among all third basemen, making him one of the position’s more valuable players. The Brewers saw plenty of promise in Durbin when they traded for him, coming off a strong season with New York’s Triple-A affiliate. Even though he didn’t, he was a decent candidate to make the team out of spring. The team likely didn’t see a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate, which he is. By WAR, he and Braves catcher Drake Baldwin have contributed the same value to their teams, more than any other NL rookies. Cortes, on the other hand, was supposed to be a consistent cog in the rotation. Last year for the Yankees, he made 30 starts and recorded a 3.77 ERA. Instead, he’s still making his way back from injury ahead of start number three this season. In San Diego. Of course, Milwaukee did turn him into outfielder Brandon Lockridge, who will provide depth while Jackson Chourio is hurt. To dump Cortes’ salary, however, they had to attach a prospect, infielder Jorge Quintana. Neither Cortes nor Williams has been what the receiving team hoped. Both will be free agents this offseason. Only the Yankees, however, are at risk of walking away empty-handed. With years of team control remaining, the Brewers have in Durbin what looks to be their third baseman of both the present and future. The trade didn’t deliver according to expectations, but it’s hard to be too upset with the results.
Knee operation: Kirby Dach not yet back on his feet
Two years ago to the day, Canadiens fans were optimistic about Kirby Dach’s future in Montreal: the 6’4 forward had just collected 38 points in 58 games – in his first campaign in Quebec – and many wondered whether Dach had a better chance of establishing himself as a first NHL center than captain Nick Suzuki. The past 730 days have proven otherwise, but that’s not the point this morning. Since joining the Canadiens, Dach has earned a reputation as a fragile player. Virus, shoulder, upper body (concussion?), lower body, knee(ACL and MCL), knee again… Let’s just say that injuries haven’t spared Dach since he arrived in Montreal. In fact, injuries haven’t spared Dach since he started playing hockey. He has never played more than 70 games in a single season, and has only broken the 60-game barrier three times in nine junior or pro seasons. Last February, Dach underwent a second operation on his right knee in the space of 18 months. Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes may tell us that Kirby Dach is fine,but we still have our doubts. Especially whenyou consider that, with the Canadiens’ recent additions and departures, Kirby Dach is still the team’s second center on the organizational chart. content-ads]Last week, I wondered where Kirby was ? We’ve seen plenty of Habs players skating at the CN Complex this summer, but not Kirby Dach. And I had to work like a monk to catch a glimpse of him in a video filmed at Nick Suzuki’s wedding! Yesterday, I was told that Kirby Dach was spending the summer in Edmonton with Kaiden Guhle – Dach is from Saskatchewan and Guhle is from Alberta – and that Dach was still in rehab. I repeat: five months after his most recent knee operation and some 40 days before the start of practice camp, Kirby Dach is still not recovered and ready to play. Good informants spotted him in an Edmonton gym doing squats with loads that look like the ones I used to take when I went to Econofitness, not the ones an NHL player uses [content-ads]This explains it: when he came to Montreal for his captain’s wedding, Kirby Dach couldn’t – or wouldn’t – skate with his teammates in Brossard. It’s worth noting that Dach is also very quiet on social networks – his last post was in November 2024 – probably in an effort to be forgotten… to go unnoticed. Spending the summer in Alberta, rather than in Montreal (with his chums at Osheaga), makes sense, when you think about it…Let’s just say that the chances of Dach starting his season at the same time as everyone else in two months’ time are pretty slim, which is cause for concern for those hoping to see the Canadiens in the playoffs in 2026. Yes, the Kirby Dach problem would be solved if a guy like Mason MacTavish-good offensively, defensively, physically and in the face-off circle-came to Montreal, but let’s just say that the odds of that happening this summer are very low. And you can’t make plans with very improbable things![spacer title=’Prolongation’]Matthew Tkachuk, who was injured last winter while throwing down the gloves at the 4 Nations tournament, underwent surgery last month (hernia and adductor). According to the latest information from Elliotte Friedman, Tkachuk could return to action just before the Olympic Games. Let’s hope Kirby Dach doesn’t have to wait as long as Tkachuk.
Best MLB trades from the last decade: National League
With MLB's trade deadline now behind us, Yardbarker's MLB writers got together this week to identify the best trade each club has made in the last decade (more or less). (Records and stats are entering play on Monday.)
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